External Global Health Connections Committee
Chair: Padmini (Mini )Murthy, MD,MPH,MS,CHES
Co-Chair: Hala Azzam, PhD, MPH
Submitted March 2008 by PM and HA
“Purpose of the Committee is to reach out to agencies and organizations specialized in international and global health to build partnership, collaboration and advocacy in this field between these organizations an APHA/IH. Priority will be given to UN agencies in the field of health (WHO, PAHO, WB, UNICEF, UNDP), US government agencies (USAD, CDC, DHHS, EPA…), foundations (Global Health Council), and international health NGOs.”
A. First we need to ask the question what objective we can serve through this External GH Connections Committee, how can the IH of APHA be value to other NGOs, UN agencies etc. and how can they be of assistance to APHA and the APHA IH section?
1. Build on APHA existing strengths
APHA can connect people in terms of expertise in a topic (be it for research, seminars or other) and help with advocacy
We need to identify global health areas of interest to the GH community (e.g. TB, HIV, malaria, chronic diseases, MCH, Health as a human rights, Non-communicable disease) and the strategic partners we should target for each of these activities.
2. Expand to untapped areas
Focus on MDGs-As APHA is the one of the oldest formalized and largest body of public health professionals we need to explore opportunities of working with UN agencies and other NGOS on issues related to the MDGs.
Specific examples – Endorsing resolutions / policy statements with regard to MDGs which we ( IH section) agree with .
C Define core competencies for GH public health work force
Brain storming with members of the committee and other members of the IH section to come up with a listing of proposed uniform competencies with regard to practice and guidelines to be followed by public health workers globally.
B. Next Steps:
1. Contact the members of the External GH Connections Committee by email and share with them the manual for IH section 2007, more specifically share with them what the purpose of our committee (as well as what other committees are doing). Ask for their input/ideas but give them time to think about it first and share with them our thoughts, and follow-up with a conference call in April to brainstorm.
2. Identify strengths and weaknesses of our existing resources
Ask our existing GH External Connection Committee members to give a list of their connections and have them focus on their areas of strengths.
Strengths: Currently we have members that have connections to some of the UN agencies, the GH council, some NGOs and Universities
Weaknesses: not enough members in WHO, PAHO, or NGOs USAID
3. Need an inventory of all existing IH section members that have connections with NGOs, WHO. PAHO, EPA, USAID etc and solicit their help or contact info. For e.g. we need to identify key members in these organizations that we should be in touch with to disseminate information to and get information from.
4. Some Ideas for activities for the year 2008-2009
a. Participation in the GH council meeting end of May
b. Find out about brown bags at NGOS, WB, PAHO etc and ask to have a slot so we can present what APHA does in IH and we can tell them what benefits that brings to them.
c. APHA representation at Universities: career panels, APHA’s role as an organization, recruitment for the APHA IH section
d. Collaborations:. We can have a working group meeting at APHA conference and work with Universities, CEPH, USAID etc to define core competencies for health)
e. Forum at APHA conference inviting all APHA members and key organizations to hear about IH section work (can combine that with other IH section events)
5. Other thoughts
We need to know the activities of the IH section well and so the leadership phone call needs to be a forum where committee leaders can exchange information and help each other.